Nursing Job and Family Balance,A Study on Married Nursing Women Working in Western Regional Hospital,Ramghat,Pokhara, Nepal
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Department of Sociology
Abstract
This thesis mainly focuses onnursing job and family balance in the society.The family makes vital contribution to the workplace. Of foremost importance,family socializes each new generation of workers, instilling the most basicattitudes and values concerning the meaning of work, which influencevocational preferences and eventually occupational destinations. Nursingmeans nourishing, protecting and fostering the health of people. Nurses areresponsible to patients, hospital, administrator, physician etc. Nurses have to doshift duty in hospital, so they don't have full time given to the familywhich isvery important.
This dissertation presents a study to show the work and family balance ofmarried nursing women. Themain objective of this study is to identifythenursing job and family balance. It is based on feminist theories. Theinterrelation between work and family is influenced by socio- economicresources, time and spatial constraints and psychological effect. The particularpatterning of work time may also unduly interfere with and disrupt, familyfunctioning. The literature review shows that because of shift duty, especiallynight time duty is the main cause of family conflict. Husband- wiferelationships are most affected among those of the night shift and parent / childrelations often become problematic.
The study is based on primary data obtained through afield survey to answer.Data hasobtained through a survey among 80 nursing personnel from W.R.H.Pokhara. Data areobtained through questionnaire schedule, key informants andobservationwith nursing staffs. The survey shows that 62.5 percent nursingpersonnel's relation with family is satisfactory, 28.75 percent respondents feltdiscrimination in family, 25 percent give only 6 hours time to the family, 37.5percent face family problems due to shift duty and 13.75 percent nursingpersonnel are perceived negatively from family on night duty. Of 80
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respondents, 14 percent respondents have conflict with husband due to shiftduty. Among them 28 percent respondents havechild care problem because ofshift duty. Similarly, 47.5 percent respondents manage their duty by takingleave while in any problems in family. Among them 30 percent respondents arenot involved in family decision making.
This thesis represents that amonginnursing personnel also facediscrimination.Because of time factor and workload, they are not satisfied with their presentjob. Discrimination is deep-rooted in our patriarchal male dominatedsocietywhich can be seen in nurses' family too. Shift dutyis the main cause effect thefamily relationship. Night duty is not easily accepted byfamily members. Thedual role is also a one type of in adjustment between work and family. Most ofrespondents are fully responsible for household activities except job.There isalso a conflict between husband and wife of nurses due to shift duty. Nursesalso have the problem of child care because of shift duty. If there are anyproblems, nurses any how manage their duty by taking leave.
It is concluded that the familyas well as society should be aware about nursingprofession and shift duty. The national health policy should fix the duty hour ofnurses as per weekly basis. The professional organization and seniors shouldgive especial attention toward nurses’ job.